City unemployment steady while county rises in April

Oktibbeha County's unemployment rate rose from 3.9 percent in March to 4 percent in April, while Starkville's unemployment rate remained the same at 3.3 percent, according to preliminary data from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

In April, Oktibbeha County's labor force, which includes everyone who is employed or seeking employment, was reported to be 23,420 people, with 22,490 people employed and 930 unemployed.

Starkville's unemployment remained the same in March as in April at 3.3 percent. In April, Starkville's labor force was reported to be 12,760 people, with 12,330 people employed and 430 people unemployed.

Year over year, both Starkville and Oktibbeha County saw a slight drop in unemployment from 2017. In April 2017, Starkville's unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, while Oktibbeha County's unemployment rate was reported to be 4.2 percent in April 2017.

Other Golden Triangle counties' unemployment rates include: Chickasaw (4.2 percent), Choctaw (4.7 percent), Clay (54. percent), Lowndes (4.5 percent), Monroe (4.3 percent), Noxubee (5.9 percent), Webster (5 percent) and Winston (5.5 percent).

In April, Rankin County reported the lowest unemployment rate at 3.1 percent, while Jefferson County reported the highest unemployment rate at 10.5 percent.

Mississippi's unemployment rate continued to fall from 4.3 percent in March to 4.2 percent in April. The states labor force was reported to be 1,277,400 people, with 1,223,500 people employed and 53,900 Mississippians unemployed.

The country followed the trend, with the unemployment rate dropping from 4.1 percent in March to 3.7 percent in April. The United States' labor force was reported to be 161,280,000 people, with 155,348,000 employed and 5,932,000 people unemployed.